1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, a speed of continuous printing of an image forming apparatus has been improved. With this speed improvement, speeds of various finishings such as staple processing and binding processing in a finishing apparatus also need to be improved. In order to perform finishings corresponding to the speed of continuous printing of the image forming apparatus, a user needs to connect a highly-functional finishing apparatus thereto. For example, when a user uses an image forming apparatus whose speed of continuous printing is 40 ppm and then newly buys an image forming apparatus whose speed of continuous printing is 120 ppm, unless the user connects a finishing apparatus having a finishing speed corresponding to the speed of continuous printing of the new image forming apparatus thereto, finishing cannot keep up with the speed of continuous printing and productivity cannot be improved. For ensuring high productivity, an image forming system in which a plurality of finishing apparatuses are connected to one image forming apparatus in series has been invented.
Cited document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2003-312934) discloses a finishing apparatus in which each function to execute finishing is modularized and respective modules are detachably/attachably connected to one finishing apparatus in parallel with one another, and which includes a sheet distributing member to switch a sheet conveyance path for a given module depending on user's intended use.
Cited document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2004-205772) discloses an image forming system which makes finishings more efficient by connecting two finishing apparatuses so that they perform finishings alternately.